1/2 Scale 427 Ford Engine

[Six97s]

Helps if you're a talented machinist...

 

Edit - I cannot get this to embed as an image.  I give up.

 

 

Full thread:  https://twitter.com/woodbrothers21/status/1383557552634355720

 

Edited April 21, 2021 by Six97s

[Codger]

On 4/21/2021 at 6:23 PM, Six97s said:

Helps if you're a talented machinist...

 

Edit - I cannot get this to embed as an image.  I give up.

 

Full thread:  https://twitter.com/woodbrothers21/status/1383557552634355720

 

97's - You've touched a nerve here. Possibly you and I are the only two on this forum who can appreciate this project. Likewise, the only two who know what your chosen name here actually were !  So first, thank you for finding and sharing this.

The brilliance of Wood's work cannot be overstated. Having built and raced dozens of these in the day, he should know the subject, even without drawings.

To explain my appreciation; I've owned, built, modified and raced this near exact engine for 21 years with my Cobra. I have been deep into the guts many times and have extensive photos of all the work.

So being an extreme observer, I saved, enlarged and studied all the photos. Leonard understandably cut a few corners, a few apparent only to a 'hands-on'  observer and none to the unfamiliar observer.

First, there is no crankshaft, camshaft, timing gears or valve train - perfectly fine and not the aim of what he wanted for a museum display.

A few omissions. probably due to technical difficulties of CNC or machining: the oil gallery bulge along the driver side of the block is missing. This is how the engine got the name ' Side oiler' and was the method of giving the mains priority oiling - for endurance racing in NASCAR or sports car racing. Also the gallery plugs at the back of block that were the drilled holes for the gallery feeds. This as opposed to 'Top oilers' where the oil pump fed the cam journals first then down to the crank.

The other omission is the bosses and bolt heads just above the pan rails on both sides for the cross-bolted mains. These were instrumental in stiffening the center three main caps and stabilizing the crankshaft. That's how you could push near 600HP for 500 miles or 550HP for 24 hours (3000 miles!) at full throttle.

Surprisingly, Wood machined and ported the cylinder heads - probably just because he could !

Make no mistake I'd give near anything to have this masterpiece. 

Do you think we could get Mr Wood to 'kit' us a few??

 

[cmatthewbacon]

I’m surprised he didn’t go the whole hog— that’s an 850cc 75bhp V8 with a few more parts!

best,

M.

[Six97s]

2 hours ago, Codger said:

97's - You've touched a nerve here. Possibly you and I are the only two on this forum who can appreciate this project. Likewise, the only two who know what your chosen name here actually were !  So first, thank you for finding and sharing this.

The brilliance of Wood's work cannot be overstated. Having built and raced dozens of these in the day, he should know the subject, even without drawings.

To explain my appreciation; I've owned, built, modified and raced this near exact engine for 21 years with my Cobra. I have been deep into the guts many times and have extensive photos of all the work.

So being an extreme observer, I saved, enlarged and studied all the photos. Leonard understandably cut a few corners, a few apparent only to a 'hands-on'  observer and none to the unfamiliar observer.

First, there is no crankshaft, camshaft, timing gears or valve train - perfectly fine and not the aim of what he wanted for a museum display.

A few omissions. probably due to technical difficulties of CNC or machining: the oil gallery bulge along the driver side of the block is missing. This is how the engine got the name ' Side oiler' and was the method of giving the mains priority oiling - for endurance racing in NASCAR or sports car racing. Also the gallery plugs at the back of block that were the drilled holes for the gallery feeds. This as opposed to 'Top oilers' where the oil pump fed the cam journals first then down to the crank.

The other omission is the bosses and bolt heads just above the pan rails on both sides for the cross-bolted mains. These were instrumental in stiffening the center three main caps and stabilizing the crankshaft. That's how you could push near 600HP for 500 miles or 550HP for 24 hours (3000 miles!) at full throttle.

Surprisingly, Wood machined and ported the cylinder heads - probably just because he could !

Make no mistake I'd give near anything to have this masterpiece. 

Do you think we could get Mr Wood to 'kit' us a few??

 

 

Yes, the lack of the oil gallery bulge is odd. There is indeed a crank though, and I the three cross bolt bosses are visible in some of the photos.   Not sure if these links will work with Twitter:

 

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EzNrY_PVEAMYQr6?format=jpg&name=4096x4096

 

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EzNu6ldVIAAopjW?format=jpg&name=4096x4096

 

He machined the valley and lifter bores, the crank webs, crankshaft etc. so it's curious that he didn't go the whole hog and make a camshaft and valve train.  Perhaps there was a deadline, or he just didn't see those as "fun" parts to make.  🤷‍♂️

[Codger]

1 hour ago, Six97s said:

He machined the valley and lifter bores, the crank webs, crankshaft etc. so it's curious that he didn't go the whole hog and make a camshaft and valve train.  Perhaps there was a deadline, or he just didn't see those as "fun" parts to make.  🤷‍♂️

Thanks for posting, I missed the cross bolt holes first time around. Here is an ancient shot of a '65 lowriser going into a Cobra. The gallery is just visible as a dark line above the cross bolts.

I certainly cannot criticize the deletion of cam and bits but that crank is a work of art. Would dearly love to own it...

 

 

[vppelt68]

Can't comment anything new about the 427:2 but I do know what six Stromberg 97:s stand for, too 

Hank Williams had a "hot rod Ford and a two dollar bill" - I wonder what carbs he had in it? V-P